Lasers help us discover lost cities

DNews reported recently that lasers can and have been used to discover lost cities. It takes month and even years to discover lost cities and lasers can help reduce that time at least 10x.

The technology used is LIDAR, a radar for lasers, which is good for penetrating dense vegetation. In 2013 researchers used LIDAR via a satellite to map 140 sq miles in less than 2 weeks in Cambodgia, int he vicinity of Angkor Wat, an old 11th century temple. They found an older city beneath the vegetation.

Using LIDAR to map the Earth costs about $350/sq km so it ain’t cheap for the common folk, but it’s a damn good tool.